Yvette - Bookworlder

Archetype is a sci-fi dystopian novel with memory loss, romance, a resistance movement, and a strong heroine. It is an excellent book and a new personal favorite. 

Any review I would write at this point will not do it justice, and is difficult to write without spoilers.  So instead, here is a list of a few things I dislike in books and why I felt they worked in Archetype:

First Person Narrative – I cannot imagine this book being told as effectively from another POV.

Love Triangles – This did not seem to be the typical love triangle, and was quite understandable.  Noah and Declan both had their appeal, as well as their dark sides.

Infidelity – If you are married to one man, are you being unfaithful to another husband you only “remember” in dreams?  An interesting question in the context of this book.

Cliffhangers – Room is definitely left for a sequel, and tension is built for that sequel in the epilogue.  What made it work for me is that it was something that I had thought should happen.  It was one of those moments where you want to shout “YES!” in a movie theater, but don’t…

Comparisons to The Handmaid’s Tale – So, usually this would kill my interest in a book, but I have a bit of a fascination for tales of memory loss/regain and the synopsis intrigued me.  In this case, the comparison is well deserved.  I do not recall ever reading another book which matches the atmospheric feel so well. 

Oh, and spoilers.  I accidentally read one word – ONE WORD! – in a review which spoiled a very important revelation for me.  This made the reveal a bit anti-climactic, but did not truly lessen how good this book is.

Archetype is the first book in a duology.  I’m planning to read the second book, Prototype, when the paperback releases in December.  Meanwhile, I’ve purchased the short e-book prequel, Antitype, and look forward to reading it.

The above list refers to a free copy I received, in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of the publisher through the GoodReads First Reads program.  And honestly, this one cost me some sleep and interfered with my focus at work, as two nights (actually, early mornings) in a row I had to stop reading at pivotal points and could not stop thinking about them the following day.